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Topic: What's the latest theatre to close or open you have heard about?
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Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-19-2010 02:36 PM
The Regal UA East Hills Mall 10 will be closing after June 27.
The End: Ua East hills theatre to close
The End: UA East Hills theater to close
BY SUSAN SCAFFIDI, Contributing writer | Friday, Jun 18 2010 11:23 PM
Last Updated Friday, Jun 18 2010 11:23 PM
Northeast Bakersfield residents are losing their movie theater.
The Californian learned Friday that the United Artists East Hills Mall 10 theater complex is closing at the end of the month. UA is part of the Regal Entertainment Group, which includes Edwards Cinemas.
"The whole mall is going down," said Gizel Gallardo, at the theater Friday to see "Toy Story 3." "There aren't enough stores, and they just don't have the customers."
UA employees declined to answer questions Friday, but Bakersfield's Edwards Cinema manager Herman Mil confirmed the sister theater's closure, saying the last day of operation would be June 27. Mil said he was not authorized to say more, referring questions to the district office in Fresno. Calls there were referred to Regal's Tennessee headquarters, closed when the news surfaced. East Hills Mall manager Anne Lynch did not return calls Friday.
The movie complex is the last anchor store in the beleaguered mall, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2009. But the closure of the theater may not be all bad for the mall's future.
"I knew their lease was coming up and they were trying to decide if they were going to stay open on a month-to-month basis," said CB Richard Ellis agent Vince Roche, who is handling the building that once housed Gottschalks department store.
Roche said the theater's closure shouldn't affect his search for tenants because the theater is outdated and needs to be renovated.
"That's an older style movie theater," Roche said. "It doesn't have the high-back seats, it doesn't have stadium seating, or surround sound that theaters have nowadays."
Nor does the UA theater have 3-D capability, quickly becoming the industry standard.
"It's kind of run down, so I understand," said Kelly Lugo, who was buying a ticket for "Iron Man 2" on Friday. "But we do need a theater on this side of town."
The proximity to downtown Bakersfields' state-of-the art Maya Cinemas, which opened a year ago, may have contributed to the UA's demise. Two movie fans at East Hills Friday said they'll head to Maya for movies from now on.
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Paul Linfesty
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1383
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-06-2010 11:17 PM
And a theatre replaces the Regal/UA East Hills Mall in Bakersfield. Although they already removed the projection sound equipment (dont know about the seats).
Regency Theatres coming to East Hills Mall
BY HILLARY HAENES, Californian staff writer
hhaenes@bakersfield.com | Tuesday, Jul 06 2010 06:38 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Jul 06 2010 06:38 PM
The United Artists East Hills Mall theater closed a little more than a week ago, and there is already word that Regency Theatres will take its place.
"We can't wait for the theater to open. It's great for the mall. It's great for Bakersfield," said Anne Lynch, director of business development at East Hills Mall.
The 10-screen complex will offer discount movies and concession foods, including $1 hot dogs.
"We see it as a great opportunity to do a discount policy there. I think it's a good fit for the market," said Andrew Golin, vice president of Regency Theatres.
The theater plans a July 30 opening.
Although the price has not been finalized, Golin said movie admission could be as inexpensive as $2 per person.
"We'd go like every weekend. I came down for an application today," said mall shopper Summer Provience, who heard about a new theater opening.
Even though there is already a discount theater in Bakersfield, Starplex Cinemas on California Avenue, Lynch said there is enough distance between them.
"I hope the cheapness doesn't affect the quality," said mall shopper Morgan Poe.
There have been similar theaters in other locations that have opened and done well, Golin said. This is the sixth discount theater the Southern California-based company will open.
"It's going to generate a lot of excitement. People need to get out, relax and have fun," Lynch said.
With the state of the economy, discount prices are especially convenient for families.
"It stretches your dollar. I think it will bring a different breed of people in the mall because it's cheaper," said David Bumgardner, who often took his family to United Artists because the theater was clean, the sodas were refillable and the prices were a little cheaper than other theaters in town.
According to Golin, one or two of the 10 screens will show foreign films.
"Independent films would be the coolest thing," Bumgardner said.
He and his wife enjoy watching Anime and foreign movies. Bumgardner also said he'd love to take his daughters to see old classic movies on the big screen and introduce them to other cultures.
"It'd be nice if they'd bring Japanese Anime, that's what I sell," said Vicky Suppiah, owner of Write on Time II Japanese Anime & Gifts in the mall.
When a blockbuster movie arrives in theaters, it doesn't affect her Anime business.
"It doesn't necessarily mean my sales will increase that day, but it does increase the traffic of the mall," Suppiah said.
Ken Mattlin, manager at KMA Sunglasses & More, said his niche store has a base of customers regardless of what other tenants are in the mall.
"We're happy to see mall management work with other companies and bring in new faces that will be beneficial to all," said Mattlin, whose shop has been in the same spot for 13 years.
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